iOS - Delete and manage profiles

This article explains how to manage and remove profiles on your iPhone or iPad. It also describes how to install and activate an S/MIME certificate to securely sign and encrypt your email communication with mailbox.

Managing profiles on iOS and setting up S/MIME for secure mail communication

On iOS devices, so-called profiles can be used to automatically install certain settings or certificates. These include profiles for email, calendar, or contacts integration via CalDAV and CardDAV, VPN or MDM profiles (Mobile Device Management), as well as certificate profiles. These profiles can be viewed at any time in the system settings and removed if needed.

Viewing and removing profiles on iOS – step by step

View profiles

1. Open Settings.
2. Navigate to General | VPN & Device Management.
   Note for older iOS versions: General | Profiles.
3. View the list of installed configuration profiles (e.g., email/CalDAV/CardDAV, VPN, MDM, certificates).
4. Tap a profile to see details such as issuer, purpose, and included certificates.

Remove a profile

1. Open the desired profile in the list.
2. Tap Remove Profile.
3. Confirm the prompt and enter your device passcode if required.
4. Wait until the process is finished. The profile and the associated settings will be removed.

Important notes

• MDM profiles: Removing an MDM profile typically deletes managed email, calendar, contact, or VPN configurations.
• CalDAV/CardDAV profiles: Removing these profiles deletes the associated account entries in Calendar and Contacts.
• Data backup: Back up important data beforehand if the profile controls related content.

Tip: Reinstall a profile later

If you need to reinstall a profile – for example, to access calendar and contacts with mailbox – you can do so at any time using the corresponding instructions in our Knowledge Base. You can find the relevant article here:

Overview article

Installing and setting up an S/MIME certificate

S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) enables you to digitally sign and encrypt emails. This ensures that your messages genuinely originate from you and cannot be altered or read during transmission. This technology is ideal for secure communication with mailbox, especially when exchanging sensitive information.

Installing an S/MIME certificate on iOS – step by step

Requirements

• Personal S/MIME certificate in .p12 or .pfx format (including the private key).
• The corresponding certificate password.
• Access to the respective email account on the iPhone/iPad.

Transfer the certificate to the device

1. Send the .p12/.pfx file to your iOS device via email or transfer it using AirDrop/the Files app.
2. Open the message or file and tap the certificate attachment.

Install the certificate

1. Tap Install.
2. Enter the certificate password and confirm.
3. Complete the assistant.

Verification:
The certificate appears under Settings | General | VPN & Device Management | Profile, or on newer iOS versions possibly directly under Settings | General | About | Certificate Trust Settings.

Activating S/MIME in the iOS mail app – step by step

Enable S/MIME for an account

1. Open Settings | Mail | Accounts.
2. Select the desired account and tap Account.
3. Open Advanced (or Advanced | S/MIME).
4. Enable S/MIME.
5. Tap Sign → select your certificate.
6. Tap Encrypt → select your certificate.

Check default behavior

• Set Sign to On if outgoing messages should be signed by default.
• Set Encrypt to Automatic/Yes if messages should be encrypted whenever possible.

Signing and encrypting while sending

When composing an email

1. Open Mail and create a new message.
2. Check the checkmark next to your sender address:
   Checkmark = message will be signed.
3. Check the lock symbol:
   • Closed lock: message will be encrypted.
   • Open lock: encryption not possible (public certificate of the recipient is missing).

Public certificate of recipients

• To encrypt a message, you need the recipient’s public certificate.
• This is automatically stored when you receive a signed email from that person. Afterwards, the closed lock will appear when composing emails.

Troubleshooting

Certificate not displayed

• Check whether the .p12/.pfx file contains the private key.
• Reinstall the certificate and enter the correct password.

Signature/encryption not possible

• Check whether your certificate is selected under
  Settings | Mail | Accounts | Account | Account | Advanced | S/MIME.
• For encryption: Is a public certificate for the recipient available? If not, ask them to send a signed email.

Multiple accounts

Repeat the S/MIME activation steps for each email account separately.

Digital Signature and Encryption in Everyday Use

When composing a new email, you will see a lock icon in the subject line. An open lock means that the message will be sent unencrypted, while a closed lock indicates that the email will be encrypted. In addition, when the signature is enabled, a tick appears next to your name to indicate that the email is digitally signed.

If you do not have a recipient’s public certificate, you can sign the message but cannot encrypt it. In this case, it is advisable to first send a signed email to the recipient to initiate the certificate exchange.